ur name to relate his history." A sort
of hum of approbation sounded through the long, dark old garret, and
then the wig spoke.

"Friend Frizzle is right: I did agree to relate my adventures, but I
said I would wait till all had told their stories; now, here are two
of this brilliant company that have not said one word of themselves,
that comical coat and that old cloak; after they have related their
history I will relate mine. The wig hitched a little on his block,
and was silent.

"I am ready," said the coat, "to tell all I know of myself, and I
shall not keep you long, I trust. My friend the baize gown and I had
the same origin on the back of a sheep, only I was of a nicer
texture, and had, from my earliest days, a more refined character;
and, of course, was used for higher purposes. Major Sword there may
know perhaps that I had as much to do with making the major of
Cadets as he had, only I did not make people run when they looked at
me, as he says he did.

I was originally of the most delicate white, and I was made into one
of the very first coats that ever appeared on the parade as one of
the Governor's guards. I think I did more to make the major than my
Lord Sword did. Think of a major without a coat! He would not be a
major, for a moment. He would be hooted at. Now, even were he
without a sword, and had me, such as I once was, on his back, he
would still be known as a major of the Cadets."

"Self-glorification! Come to your story," cried the musket, with a
bounce.

"I will," said the coat. "I was, as I have told you, the major's
military coat, admired by all who looked at me; and I appeared often
on parade days till he gave up his office, and left this country,
when I was left hanging up in his dressing room, and all my glory
was gone.

As the major's boys grew bigger, they would often beg their mother
to allow them to put me on. The rogues were so short then that I
trailed on the ground. I was even so far abused as to be worn by
girls. This tried my feelings sorely, but I was forced to submit.
Once I was so far disgraced as to be worn by one of the girls while
she danced with her brother who was dressed like a monkey, with a
tail over a yard long; and this was not all, she pulled the monkey's
tail too hard, it came off, and then the monkey boy seized the tail
and beat me with it, meaning to beat his sister, but I got the worst
of it. So I lived to be made fun of, and lived for nothing else.

At last